This invention relates, in general, to oscillators, and more specifically, to microwave temperature compensated oscillators.
Microwave oscillators are very susceptible to changes in temperature. To overcome this temperature susceptibility, microwave oscillators have incorporated dielectric resonators. Dielectric resonators have temperature stable characteristics and can therefore keep the oscillator within the appropriate oscillating frequency. However, such dielectric resonator oscillators (DROs) only produce RF power levels on the order of 10 to 100 milliwatts. To obtain higher power outputs, amplifiers have been cascaded to the DROs. This increases costs, and adds both size and weight to the circuitry. Furthermore, achievable Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is reduced.
A microwave dielectric oscillator having high peak power output could replace currently used magnetrons. Such magnetrons have very low MTBF. Advances in solid state technology opens the way to replace short life, expensive magnetrons with solid state microwave oscillators.